EVERTON had a tough time of it when they were last in Europe two years ago. They got two shocking draws and even they even the best referee in the world couldn’t save them when Pierluigi Collina did them out of a goal against Villarreal in the Champions League.

If they get knocked out on Thursday, however, there will be no excuses this time.

Everton will only have themselves to blame. Metalist Kharkiv is a much kinder draw and Everton got the penalty decisions in the first leg that should have put the tie to bed.

They missed those chances on that occasion but they can’t afford any missed chances in the return leg in Ukraine.

Because it really is a season-defining game.

It sets you up for the next few months of the season if you make the group stages of the UEFA Cup.

There’s nothing worse than being out of a competition by early October because it leaves you feeling flat and you know there’s one chance of a trophy gone already.

There might not be a lot of money in the UEFA Cup but the extra income from those games is always handy.

And, more importantly, still being in Europe can also help attract new players in January.

That’s why it is so important Everton go there and win. They might need a lucky break to get it, but let’s face it, they’re long overdue one of those.

But going out of Europe won’t just leave the fans feeling empty, the players will be mightily disappointed too.

Someone like Mikel Arteta, for example, wants to be playing on the continent and I’m sure that being in Europe was one of the things that attracted Yakubu – especially after his run to the UEFA Cup final with Middlesbrough a couple of years ago – to make the move to Goodison.

So there’s every incentive for Everton’s top players to produce a performance and if ever it was needed it will be on Thursday.

Certainly if Arteta puts one in, Everton have a great chance of going through. He’s almost to Everton what Steven Gerrard is to Liverpool – in America he would be called the franchise player, the one you build a side around.

Just look at the difference he made when he came back on Sunday against Middlesbrough. If he is that influential against Kharkiv you can’t see Everton not getting the away goal they need to go through.

To that end, I can see David Moyes sticking with the team that beat Boro even if Andrew Johnson does get over his groin strain.

At the moment, you have to keep James McFadden in there because he is in form and looks one of those players likely to produce something out of the blue, which could be so vital in a tight European game.

It seems to have hit home with him that he needs to make more of an all-round contribution rather than just flitting in and out and producing fleeting moments like he has done in the past.

Now that he’s getting to grips with that responsibility, I think the confidence boost of keeping his place in the starting line-up will help him no end.

So if the key players perform, hopefully Everton will get the result they need. Kharkiv may have surprised a few people but that’s one of the funny things about Europe. You play a team in the first leg and think they’re good but you’ve only had one look at them – come the second leg a lot of teams turn out to be not as good as you thought they were.

Not that there’s any room for complacency, far from it.

This is the game where Everton have to give it their all, otherwise all the celebrating at getting into Europe in the first place will have been for nothing.

Rotation helps fight for places

YOSSI BENAYOUN isn’t just a good signing because of the impact he makes when he comes on as a substitute.

It’s because of the impact he has on Jermaine Pennant’s game too.

When Pennant plays now you can almost sense that he’s looking over his shoulder knowing that he has to perform because there are rivals for his place creeping up on him.

It’s not having a detrimental effect on his game, however, and he’s doing well so far this season.

Which is why he will be frustrated with this sending-off against Porto. He can’t play against Marseille tomorrow now and that possibly gives Benayoun the chance to come in and press his own claim for a starting place.

Which is absolutely no problem for Rafael Benitez. It’s good for him to have that kind of competition and strength in depth.

He might be obsessed with rotating the players in his squad but as long as he’s rotating good players who are in form it might just pay off for him.

* Mark Lawrenson was talking to NICK SMITH